The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors holding terminals.
In various applications of electrical connectors, devices are utilized to lock terminals in place and to assure that the terminals are in proper position within the electrical connector. Such electrical connectors are typically used in harsh environments, such as automotive applications, in which the electrical connectors are subject to vibration and other forces that may tend to have the terminals back out of the connectors.
Currently, certain electrical connectors are provided with housings having cavities extending therethrough for receiving terminals. The terminals are locked in the cavities by a primary latch, which may be part of the housing or part of the terminal itself. Furthermore, the electrical connectors typically include a secondary lock that acts as a backup locking feature should the primary lock fail. Such secondary locks are typically a separate piece. Tooling for such parts are typically complicated, expensive and time consuming to build.
A need remains for an electrical connector that may be manufactured and assembled in a cost effective and reliable manner.